Supporting means for the motor and fan assembly of tank type cleaners



D 14, 1943. w. J. CLL-:MENTS 2,336,716

SUPPRTING MEANS FOR THE MOTOR AND FAN ASSEMBLY OF TANK TYPE CLEANERS InWe?? 07" @far/@yf n Dec. 14, 1943. w J. cLEMENTs 2,336,716

SUPPORTING MANS FOR THE MOTOR AND FAN ASSEMBLY OF TANK TYPE CLEANERSFiled Jan. 8. 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 14, 1943 assaut(li-TETES@ AND FAN ASSEMBLY CLEANERS OF TANK TYPE William J. Clements,Chicago, Ill., assigner to Clements Mfg. Co., Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois [application January 8, 1942, Serial No. 425,976

6 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in vacuum cleaners.

One purpose is the provision of an improved vacuum cleaner of the typein which the dust bag, motor and fan are enclosed within a housing.

Another purpose is the provisions of an improved fan and motor unit foruse in such housins.

Another purpose is the provision of a fan and motor unit which can beunitarily removed from such a housing.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of thespecification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 a longitudinal section of a cleaner casinfT with some of themechanism in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view oi the strainer and fan parts;

Fig. 3 is rear elevation with back cover removed;

Fig. i is a section on the line li--li of Fie. 2

a reduced scale; and

Fig. 5 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line E-i oi Fig. 4.

Like parte. are indicated by like symbois hroughout the specificationand drawings.

Referring to the drawings, l generally indicates a tubular 'orcylindrical housing, which has at one end a ring 2, includingr a angeportion Si which ts about the exterior of one end of the housing l. lindicates any suitable screws or other securing means whereby the ringmay be secured to the housing. 5 indicates a spider structure extendinggenerally radially inwardly from the ring and supporting the inner hub6, herein shown unitary with the spider and ring.

'l is any suitable removable covering or cap having any suitable airoutlet apertures 9 is a ring of rubber or the like set within a centraiaperture ci the hub 6. l generally indicates a shield or ring having acircumferente ange H and a central air aperture I2, which element formspart oi the fan assembly. lending inwardly from the inner edge of thering Eli are supports I3, which carry an inne1 ring lil, which extendinwardly in the form of at tnd are provided with ledge abutments iti,which receive the motor field laminations il. The bearing sleeve i3 ismounted upon inwardly extending arms I9 unitary with the abo-ve (Ci.23u- 117) scribed structure. Any suitable anti-friction bearings 2c maybe mounted in the sleeve it to support the motor shaft 2i, which carriesany suitable motor armature rotating within the iield laminations Il.

22 is an abutment ring abutting against the opposite end of the group ciheld laminat-ions Il'. Any suitable means, for example bolts 23, may beemployed for clamping it and for thereby holding the laminations l?against the abutment ledges l5 of the members l5. The ring 22 also isadapted to support any suitable brushes as upon the bridge 25, whichbrushes cooperate with the commutator of the motor. 2S is a generallycylindrical outer extension of the bridge 25, which penetrates thecentral aperture within the rubber sleeve E.

Any suitable switch structure may be used, generally indicated as 23,29, the details of which do not of themselves form part of the presentinvention. I illustrate, however, two separate outwardly extendingmanually manipulatable switch members 39, 3l. 32 indica-tes any suit--able conductive line extending to any suitable source of electric powernot herein shown.

Mounted upon the flange ll of the ring l! is a fan housing structure,which includes two nesting cylindrical housing members 4U, 4 l, carryinginwardly extending partition walls 42, 43, each centrally apertured asat lit, t5, the central aperture being bordered by an inturned lip 4l'.The two members 46, 4l are secured as shown in Fig, 2. rIhey provide aian housing separated into two main compartments. In order to supportthe ring i@ for ready endwise removal from the housing l, I provide aplurality of slidable abutments i8, reierably but not necessarily or"rubber or other suitable yielding material. I illustrate them as in theform of rubber tubes or bodies 59, having central apertures and an outercircumferential channel Si adapted to be received in an aperture 52 in aflange 53, which may be unitary with the ring t9. Any suitable securingmeans, such as a screw 54, may be employed, if necessary, to hold themembers E from unintended removal. The space between the periphery or"the ring lil and the housing l may be sealed by a flexible ring 55,which may be held between the iianges 5B and El of the members lili, 6l,by any suitable securing means, such as screws 5S.

Mounted on one face of the wall 2, I provide an additional partition theouter edge ci which terminates short of the inner face of the member 4l.This partition is centrally apertured as at t@ and carries a pluralityof fixed vanes 65, preferably somewhat inclined from the radial.

Mounted on the outer face of the partition wall i3 is an air filterassembly, which includes the ring lil, which may be riveted as at 'H tothe wall e3. The ring 'l0 is provided with an inclined portion or ledgel2 and an intermediate portion 75, provided with air inlets lil. Thering 1!) carries at its outer edge the unitary cylindrical wall i havinga ledge 'I6 adapted to receive a filter structure, including rings Tl,18, having abutting outwardly extending iianges '19, 80, securedtogether as by an enveloping circumferential rubber ring 8i, generallyU-shaped in cross section. Inwardly extending flanges 82, 83 embrace anysuitable filter structure, which may be formed by layers of mesh 34, 85,with any suitable intermediate packing confined therebetween. The lilterring may be locked in position as by the inwardly oifset portions 8'1.

The motor shaft 2l is shown as having an extension 953 into the fanhousing. It may be positioned in relation to the bearing 25J in anysuitable manner. I illustrate a hub structure, including a sleeve Si,with spacing washers 92, 93, and Sil. Mounted on the shaft extension 9Band spaced by the sleeve 9i, are fan discs 95, 96, each carrying aplurality of arcuate vanes el, which support rings Q8, 9g, apertured at98a. and S90.. The inner ends oi' the shaft extension 90 is screwthreaded as at lll@ and receives a locking nut lili, abutting against awasher |32 and a sleeve 503, the fan disc 9S being confined between thewashers 93 and 912i.

It will be observed, as in Fig. 2, that, in response to the rotation ofthe motor and of the fan structure, air is drawn inwardly in thedirection of the arrows through the lter and the foraminous plate i3.Air then passes through the aperture 45 and into the first fan, beingdirected outwardly toward the inner face of the wall lil. It then passesinwardly along the iixed baiiles 55 through the central aperture G4, andalso about the edge of the baille B3, and is then directed outwardly bythe second fan. Air is deiiected by the ring lil and passes about theabove described motor structure and then upwardly through the spider 5to the air outlet passage 8, thus cooling the motor.

It will be noted that the entire fan and motor assembly can be readilyand unitarily removed from the housing I by simply releasing the screwsl and the below described runner structure.

Another ring lili is mounted at the opposite end of the housing. Therings 2 and l iB are both provided with outwardly extending lugs l l I,which may be apertured as at H2 to receive the recurved upbent ends IESof any suitable runner structures i irl. l i5 indicate locking setscrews in the lugs i l i adapted to lock the runners in place.

H is any suitable bag structure having an open end iii and any suitablesupporting ring H8 abutting against a portion of the ring lill, with arubber gasket ring between. H9 is any suitable closure which may belocked in position, for example by a plurality of locking hooks E2Gpivoted as at l2! on the locking lever l2?, which is pivoted at E23 onthe casing l. The closure l lil is provided with a centrally aperturedsleeve i'i adapted to receive any suitable suction inlet or hoseconnection E25, which is provided with a bayonet slot |26 adapted toreceive any suitable locking pin l2. 28 is any suitable carrying handlesecured to the top of the housing l,

It will be observed that the housing cap 'l is apertured as at 2 topermit the entry of the conductive connection 32. The relation betweenthe aperture and the conductive connection is such that the cap 'l canbe removed without disturbing the conductive connection. The switchstructure 28, 2Q, Si), 3| may also be readily disconnected from thehousing l and withdrawn with the unit in order to prevent any impedimentto the endwise outward *movement of the motor and fan assembly.

It will be realized that, whereas I have described and illustrated apractical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made inthe size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing fromthe spirit of my invention. I therefore Wish my description and drawingsto be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, ratherthan as limiting me to my precise showing.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

I provide a unitary open-ended tubular housing l, to which the oppositeends of the rings 2 and Ilil are applied and from which they may bereadily removed if necessary. Air flows inwardly through the hoseconnection i253 from any suitable suction nozzle not herein shown. Thisair, nlled with dirt, iiows into the interior of the bag l i6 and isconstrained to flow through the fabric or mesh of which the bag isformed, there depositing the dust or dirt which it carried. The air thenflows through the filter structure, which includes the nb-rous materialThe members or bodies :i8 serve as a vibration preventing support forthe inner end of the motorfan unit, and the other end is supported inthe rubber ring S. However, since the rubber ring il is supported uponthe ring 2 and its associated spider structure, and since the bodies 6Bare slidable in relation to the housing i the entire motor and fan unit,although readily removable, is also sufficiently supported in avibration preventing relationship to the housing l.

I claim:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, an exterior housing substantially cylindricalfrom end to end, and means for normally supporting it in a generallyhorizontal position, a motor and fan assembly insertable directly intothe discharge end of the housing, said motor and fan assembly includinga ring removably engaging the outer edge of the discharge end of thehousing, a frame element for the motor, including a frame ring adjacentbut out of contact with the inner face of the housing, said ringincluding a central hub having bearing means for the rotor shaft oi themotor, a fan housing secured t0 said ring, centering and supportingconnections between an outer portion of said ring and the inner face oithe housing, circumferentially spaced about said ring, and adapted tocenter the ring in relation to the housing but readily slidable alongthe inner face ci the housing when the motor and fan assembly isremoved, and a sliding sealing connection between said ring and the faceoi the housing, said supporting connections including Slotted lugs onsaid ring and buttons of yielding material channeled to penetrate saidslots.

a ring removably engaging the outer edge of the discharge end of thehousing, a frame element for the motor, including a frame ring adjacentbut out of contact with the inner face of the housing, said ringincluding a central hub having bearing means for the rotor shaft of themotor, a fan housing secured to said ring, centering and supportingconnections between an outer portion of said ring and the inner face ofthe housing, circumferentially spaced about said ring, and adapted tocenter the ring in relation to the housing but readily slidable alongthe inner face of the housing when the motor and fan assembly isremoved, and a sliding sealing connection between said ring and the faceof the housing, said supporting connections including slotted lugs onsaid ring and buttons of yieldinCr material channeled to penetrate saidslots, and securing means` adapted to secure said buttons in said slotsin relation to the ring.

In a vacuum cleaner, exterior housing substantially cylindrical from endto end, and means for normally supporting it in a generally horizontalposition, a motor and fan assembly insertable directly into thedischarge end of the housing, said :rotor and fan assembly including aring removably engaging the outer edge of the discharge end of thehousing, a frame element ior the motor, including a frame ring adjacentbut out of contact with the inner face of the housing, said ringincluding a central hub having bearing means for the rotor shaft of themotor, a ian housing secured to said ring, centering and supportingconnections between an outer portion of said ring and the inner face ofthe housing, circumferentially spaced about` said ring, and adapted tocenter the ring in relation to the housing but readily slidable alongthe inner face of the housing when the motor and tan assembly isremoved, and a sliding sealing connection between said ring and the faceof the housing, said supporting connections including circumferentiallyspaced bodies of yielding material mounted on said ring.

4. ln a vacuum cleaner, an exterior housing substantially cylindricalfrom end to end, and means for normally supporting it in a generallyhorizontal position, a motor and fan assembly insertable directly intothe discharge end o the housing, said motor and fan assembly including aring removably engaging the outer edge of the discharge end of thehousing, a frame element for the motor, including a frame ring adjacentbut out of contact with the inner face of the housing, said ringincluding a central hub having bearing means for the rotor shaft of themotor, a fan housing secured to said ring, centering and supportingconnections -between an outer portion of said ring and the inner face ofthe housing, circumferentially spaced about said ring, and adapted tocenter the ring in relation to the housing when the motor and fanassembly removed, and a sliding sealing connection between said ring theface of the housing, said supporting connections includingcircumferentiaily spaced bodies of yielding material mounted on saidring closely adjacent but out of contact with said sliding sealingconnection.

5. In a Vacuum cleaner, an exterior housing substantially cylindricalfrom end to end, and means for normally supporting it in a generallyhorizontal position, a motor and fan assembly insertable directly intothe discharge end of the housing, said motor and fan assembly includinga ring removably engaging the outer edge of the discharge end of thehousing, a frame element for the motor, including a frame ring adjacentbut out of Contact with the inner face of the housing, said ringincluding a central hub having bearing means for the rotor shaft of themotor, a fan housing secured to said ring, centering and supportingconnections between an outer portion of said ring and the inner face ofthe housing, circumierentially spaced about said ring, and adapted tocenter the ring in relation to the housing when the motor and ianassembly is removed, and a sliding sealing connection between said ringand the face of the housing, said supporting connections includingcircumferenytially spaced bodies of yielding material mounted on saidring, and means for readily removably securing them thereto.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, an exterior housing substantially cylindricalfrom end to end, and means for normally supporting it is a generallyhorizontal position, a motor and fan assembly insertable directly intothe discharge end of the housing, said motor and fan assembly includinga ring removably engaging the outer edge of the discharge end of thehousing, a frame element for the motor, including a frame ring adjacentbut out of contact with the inner face of the housing, said ringincluding a central hub having bearing means for the rotor shaft of themotor, a fan housing secured to said ring, centering and supportingconnections between an outer portion of said ring and the inner face ofthe housing, circumferentially spaced about said ring, and adapted tocenter the ring in relation to the housing when the motor and fanassembly is removed, a thin, freely flexible sealing ring, mounted onthe frame ring, and having an outer free edge in wiping engagement withthe opposed inner wall of the housing, the sealing ring beingsufficiently flexible to provide substantially no effective resistanceto relative endwise movement of the housing and the motor and fanassembly.

WILLIAM J. CLEMENTS.

